APPARATUS FOR COOLING ROOM AIR

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling room air, comprising a chamber (14) placed in the area of the ceiling (15) of the room, said chamber being formed by wall sections (10-13) arranged in the vertical and horizontal plane, which thereby close the chamber upwards and sideways. Said chamber having respective inlet and outlet openings (19, 20) for the room air, separately placed at the lower part of the chamber. The apparatus also comprises at least one cooling coil (18). At least one vertically arranged partition wall (16) extends in an upward direction from a lower wall section (13), which section is dismountable from the rest of the chamber. The partition wall defines a flow path, which extends in an upward direction from the inlet opening (19), along one side of the partition wall (16), past its upper end, and downwards along the other side of the partition wall (16) toward the outlet opening (20). The cooling coil (18) is placed in the flow path between the upper end of the partition wall and the outlet opening (20).

Description: APPARATUS FOR COLDING ROOM AIR. TECHNICAL AREA The present invention refers to an apparatus for cooling room air, comprising a chamber placed in the area of the ceiling of the room, said chamber being formed by wall sections arranged in the vertical and horizontal plane, which thereby close the chamber upwards and sideways, said chamber having respective inlet and outlet openings for the room air, separately placed at the lower part of the chamber, and a cooling coil. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The method of using of false ceiling panels or false ceiling profiles, provided with cold water chilled elements for room air treatment is well known. These systems are advantageous in comparison with ventilation and air conditioning systems, since they are power saving and do not generate noise or draught. They can also be combined with air ducts for supply of non- preconditioned primary air. The panels usually consist of a frame of metal profiles. These are constructed in such a way, and attached to a ceiling in such a way, that warm room air is admitted to flow vertically, upwards between the panels, whereafter this warm air is chilled by cooling coils in the panel, to sink downwards in the apparatus as a result of its increased density. Thus the panels or profiles produce a self-circulation of air, and a regulation of its temperature inside a room. A drawback with these panels is that dust and other particles, in time, are gathered on horizontal surfaces. Under certain circumstances, the panels or profiles can also cause formation of condensation fluid, which, in combination with the dust particles, can form a breeding ground for mould fungus. Cleaning of these surfaces usually involves dismounting of the false ceiling, which is both time-consuming and circumstantially. THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM The purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for cooling room air, which can be used either for gravity flow, or in combination with a supply of primary air, and which apparatus presents minimal dust gathering surfaces, and which also is easy to clean. THE SOLUTION According to the invention, at least one vertically arranged partition wall extends, for this purpose, in an upward direction from a lower wall section between the inlet and outlet openings. Said section is dismountable from the rest of the chamber, and the partition wall is connected to the cooling coil, which is arranged on the outlet opening-side of the partition wall. By this design of the apparatus, a short flow path is obtained for the air, which path passes surfaces that are smooth and easy to clean. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to embodiments shown in the enclosed drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows a section through an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention schematically, Fig. 2 shows, in a corresponding way, a second embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 shows, in a corresponding way, a fourth embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a chamber 14, defined by inclined wall sections 10, vertical wall sections 11 and horizontal upper and lower wall sections 12 respective 13. The same reference numerals have been used for corresponding details in the four embodiments. The chamber 14 can be of optional length, and is mounted in connection to a false ceiling 15, so that the inclined wall sections 10 connect to the underside of the false ceiling. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a vertical partition wall 16 extends upwards from the lower wall section 13, to a level which is approximately equivalent to half the hight of the chamber. The upper edge of this partition wall 16 is connected to one side of a cooling coil 17, which comprises a large number of convection plates and cooling medium carrying pipes 18, which medium usually consists of water. In this embodiment, the cooling coil 17 extends obliquely upwards, toward the corner between the wall section 12 and one of the wall sections 11. Alternatively, the cooling coil can be arranged horizontally against the wall 11, or be standing vertically against the wall section 12. A gap 19 between one edge of the lower wall section 13 and the left inclined wall section 10, shown in Fig. 1, forms an inlet opening to the chamber 14. A gap 20 between the other edge of the lower wall section 13 and the right inclined wall section 10, shown in Fig. 1, forms in a corresponding way an outlet opening from the chamber 14. Warmed-up room air enters the chamber 14 via the inlet gap opening 19, and passes the upper edge of the partition wall 16. On exposure to the cooling coil 17, the air will be chilled to increase its density. The air descends thereby at the right side of the partition wall, shown in Fig. 1, and passes out through the outlet gap opening 20. The generated air flow is illustrated by the arrows 21. In this way, self-circulation of the room air is produced below the false ceiling 15. The chamber 14 forms a space, separated from the space between the false ceiling 15 and a not shown upper floor structure, whereby said first space contains extremely small surfaces, that can gather dirt and dust particles. Such impurities can also be easily removed by disconnection of the wall section 13, followed by suction or wiping of said surfaces. A similar solution is shown in Fig. 2, in which the partition wall 16 is converted into a ventilation air duct 22, having spray nozzle openings 23. An increase in the supply of primary air to the room air is obtained via the duct 21. The primary air contributes to the air circulation through the cooling coil. Furthermore, the flow through the spray nozzle openings is directed in such a way, that the air flows out along the underside of the false ceiling 15. A variant of the invention is shown in Fig. 3, where the inlet gap openings 19 are placed centrally in the chamber wall 13. A ventilation air duct 22 is placed centrally in the chamber 14. Two partition walls 16 extend upwards from the chamber wall 13 on each outside of the duct 22. A cooling coil 18 is placed in a passage between the respective partition wall 16 and the vertical wall sections 11 of the chamber 14. The spray nozzle openings 23 extend from the duct 22, through respective partition wall 16, toward the gap openings 20. By this design, a doubled function is obtained in comparison with Fig. 1 and 2. An additional variant of the invention is shown in Fig. 4, where centrally placed inlet gap openings 19 let the room air in between two partition walls 16, formed as ventilation air ducts 22 with spray nozzle openings 23. As well as in the embodiment previously described in connection to Fig. 3, a cooling element 18 is placed in a passage between the respective partition wall 16 and the vertical wall sections 11 of chamber 14. All variants of the invention form a construction that is closed in relation to the space between the false ceiling and the floor structure, with inner surfaces which can be easily cleaned without dismounting the false ceiling. The apparatus also forms a unit, which serves as a sound-absorbing baffle at the ceiling of the room, and which thereby can cooperate with other centrally placed units. The invention is not limited to the above described embodiment, instead more variants are conceivable within the scoop of following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for cooling room air, comprising a chamber (14) placed in the area of the ceiling (15) of the room, said chamber being formed by wall sections (10-13) arranged in the vertical and horizontal plane, which thereby close the chamber upwards and sideways, said chamber having respective inlet and outlet openings (19,20) for the room air, separately placed at the lower part of the chamber, and a cooling coil (18), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n, that a vertically arranged partition wall (16) extends in an upward direction from a lower wall section (13) between the inlet and outlet openings (19,20), which section is dismountable from the rest of the chamber (14), and that the partition wall (16) is connected to the cooling coil (18), which is arranged on the outlet opening-side of the partition wall (16). 2. Apparatus for cooling room air, comprising a chamber (14) placed in the area of the ceiling (15) of the room, said chamber being formed by wall sections (10-13) arranged in the vertical and horizontal plane, which thereby close the chamber upwards and sideways, said chamber having respective inlet and outlet openings (19,20) for the room air, separately placed at the lower part of the chamber, and two or more cooling coils (18), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n, that two or more vertically arranged partition walls (16) extend in an upward direction from lower wall sections (13) between the inlet and outlet openings (19,20), which sections are dismountable from the rest of the chamber (14), and that the partition walls (16) are connected to the cooling coils (18), which are arranged on the outlet opening-sides of the partition walls (16). 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n, that the partition wall/walls (16) is/are designed as a ventilation duct (22), with at least one spray nozzle opening (23), directed toward the outlet opening (20). 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n, that the chamber (14) has an oblong form, and is mounted horizontally in a space between a floor structure and a false ceiling (15), with wall sections (10) connecting to an opening in the false ceiling.

Inventors: SANDBAKKEN MORTEN, SANDBAKKEN, MORTEN
Applicants: FAREX AB, SANDBAKKEN MORTEN, SANDBAKKEN, MORTEN
Application year: 1994
Main classification: F24F1
IPC codes: F24F1, F24F13